When Something Unexpected Comes Your Way
by takemeout27
Summary: Jess and Rory haven't seen each other in 3 years since she told him she was in love with Logan. Now, he is a successful writer and she is a journalist for the New York Times. Their paths cross ways when she is assigned to cover his book signing, and their chemistry and instant connection once again is undeniable. *Literati*
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Jess sat in the coffee shop, looking out the window distracted. He was supposed to be writing, but for some reason he couldn't focus. He was going to New York tomorrow for a book signing and felt uneasy about it. Not the actual book signing, but the fact that he would have to stop and see his family while he was there. He planned to see his mother, step-father, and his sister.

"Excuse me, do you mind if I sit here?" A young woman with curly brown hair asked, gesturing to the seat next to him and interrupting his thoughts. She broke him out of his daze.

"No, go ahead," Jess responded.

"Thanks." The woman pulled out her laptop and a copy of "Man on the Edge" by Jess Mariano. He smiled slightly and toyed with the idea of telling her it was his book, but decided against it.

Not that it would hurt him to make more of an effort with woman, since he hadn't dated anyone since… since her. Not seriously anyway. All the women he casually dated he found some flaw in, whether it be they weren't smart enough, were too emotionally needy, or didn't appreciate the same things he did. He sometimes thought maybe he was being too picky. Or perhaps he was the type that was better off alone.

Jess toyed with the idea of asking her out. He wanted to take more chances and to give people the benefit of the doubt.

"Are you a student?" he asked, referring to her laptop, books, and piles of paper she had pulled out of her bag.

She laughed. "Ha, well sort of. I'm in graduate school part time. I also teach."

"Oh yeah, what's your major?" Jess asked.

"English," she responded.

"Do you want to be a writer?"

"Oh, God no! I don't have the discipline to write. I want to keep teaching. I teach high school now, but I'd like to teach at the community college level eventually. What about you, what do you do?"

"I'm a writer," Jess said with a huge smile on his face. They shared a laugh.

"Oh no, I hope you didn't take it the wrong way! It's just not for me," she said, still laughing.

"I know, no hard feelings," he reassured her. "High school kids, huh? How's that working out for ya?" Jess thought back to his days in high school. He remembered not caring about school, classes, or the other students. He hated it. He hated Stars Hallow. Except for…

"Some days are better than others," she laughed. "But overall I find it very rewarding."

There was a pause.

"I'm Jess," he said extending a hand.

She reached for his hand and shook it. "I'm Quinn, nice to meet you." She looked down, seeming a bit shy.

"Would you want to get coffee sometime?" he asked. "I mean, technically I know we are having coffee right now. What I mean is, would you like to get coffee sometime on purpose?"

She smiled. "Yes, I'd like that. Here's my number." She scribbled her number on the edge of a piece of paper and ripped it off.

Jess smiled. Maybe things were looking up.

* * *

 **THE NEXT DAY**

Rory stood at her closet, throwing clothes from her closet onto her bed. Rory would see Jess today, but he didn't know it. She hardly knew what to think. When her editor assigned her to cover the Q&A for his book signing she could hardly believe it. Jess Mariano was going to be in New York today, and Rory was going to see him.

"What should I wear?" she yelled at a person in the living room.

Paris entered Rory's room from the hallway. "Rory, you've already tried on everything you own, and you look great in everything. God, it's amazing how a smart, successful woman can fall apart the second an ex-boyfriend comes back into her life," Paris replied. "Oh correction, fall apart at the idea of seeing an ex-boyfriend. Since you haven't even seen him yet."

"Mean, and not true!" Rory said, crossing her arms. "First of all, I am not falling apart. I simply want to look my best today to represent the New York Times well; and second of all, all my best dresses are dirty."

Paris looked at her, giving her the 'I know you better than that' look. Paris didn't need to say anything, Rory knew she was right.

"Okay fine, I want to look amazing for the first time I've seen Jess in three years, what's wrong with that?" Rory asked.

"Nothing's wrong with it," Paris said. "I'm just surprised to see you like this… you are becoming unglued."

Rory sat down on her bed, feeling pathetic. Paris sat down next to her. "I just don't know what it will be like to see him again, after three years. Last time I saw him…" she stopped.

Rory hated thinking back to that time, when she had told Jess she was in love with Logan. _It's what it is, you, me_ , his words echoed in her head.

"What happened last time you saw him?" Paris asked. Her curiosity was sparked from Rory's mid-sentence silence.

"I went to visit him in Philadelphia when Logan and I were fighting. We kissed, and I told him I was still in love with Logan. It ended badly," Rory said looking down.

"Well, first of all, I want you to know that of all your boyfriends I liked Jess the best. At least he was somewhere near you on an intellectual scale, unlike Logan and Dean. Nothing was particularly wrong with Dean, he was just not very interesting. Logan on the other hand was a pompous spoiled rich kid who never had to work for anything in his life. And he thought he was entitled to everything."

"Tell me how you really feel," Rory said jokingly. They both laughed.

Paris stood up. She looked at the two dresses that Rory seemed to have set above the rest. "Don't wear this one, it's too short. You don't want to look like a prostitute the first time you see him, do you?" Paris tossed that dress to the side and picked up the one next to it. "Wear this one. It says 'I'm professional yet willing to have some fun.'"

Rory smiled. "Thanks Paris. And I'll pretend you didn't just say one of my dresses makes me look like a prostitute."

"Welcome," Paris said walking out.

Rory sighed and began to get dressed. She couldn't believe this was happening, and had no idea why she was so nervous. She had never been this nervous to see him before, except when they were younger…

All of a sudden she was overcome with memories from the past. She remembered kissing in his car at night, not wanting to get out and go inside her house. She remembered kissing upstairs at Luke's, praying Luke wouldn't come in as she slowly let his hand ride under her shirt, against her bare chest. She definitely remembered a lot of kissing.

But that was all that had ever happened. Why had things not gone further? She often thought about this, considering how good the kisses were. Suddenly, she remembered the night of the keg party when Jess tried to have sex with her. She wanted to be with him, it just wasn't the right time. If Jess hadn't left town, maybe things would have been different… But there was no point in dwelling on the past. Rory was a successful journalist now for the New York Times, and she would represent herself well today.

She looked at herself in the mirror and threw on a simple belt and some boots to go with her dress. Once she was satisfied she grabbed her bag and left the apartment. She was ready.

* * *

 **A/N: Hi all. A little bit about me as an author- I loved Gilmore Girls when it was airing and have fallen in love with it again now that it's on Netflix. Also, I'm still in denial Jess and Rory didn't end up together. If people like this, I will update pretty regularly. Probably once a week between Friday-Monday. Thanks!**


	2. Chapter 2

**CH 2**

Jess was surprised to see so many people showed up for his book signing. He had no idea he was so popular in New York. In Seattle he did occasional book signings but they were never this large.

"Jess Mariano?" a man in a suit asked.

"Yeah that's me," Jess said extending a hand.

"Hey I'm Eric, nice to meet you in person. Did you find it here okay?"

"Yeah, I used to live in New York so I'm pretty familiar with this area."

"Oh, that's cool. I think we'll have quite the turnout today," Eric said gesturing toward the forming crowd.

"I can see that," Jess said. He looked at all the people, and even saw some reporters in the back.

"So, we'll start in about 30 minutes. Here's the run down- I'll introduce you. Then you will read the passage from your book, after that we'll have about 20 minutes for Q&A, and then you'll do the signing. I'm about to grab a coffee and I'll get you one too if you'd like. Do you have any questions?" Eric asked.

"Yeah, do you have any Baily's to go with that coffee?" Jess asked.

"Well, I'm not sure, I can check," Eric said.

"Kidding," Jess replied.

Eric laughed. "Good one. I'll go grab that coffee, do you want cream or sugar?"

"No thanks, black."

Eric walked away and Jess headed toward the table at the front of the room. He looked down at his most recent book. It was still a little surreal to him. He was a published author. Better yet, he was a published author that was finally getting publicity. He thought back to his high school days, and remembered how everyone was nervous about his future. He had made a lot of mistakes, but somehow everything had mysteriously turned out okay. He closed his eyes. He thought of her. Her bright blue eyes, her humor, her intellect, her smile...

"Here's the coffee." Eric was suddenly by Jess's side, interrupting his thoughts and holding a cup out for him.

"Thanks," Jess said. He took a sip. It was not nearly as good as any of the coffee shops by his apartment in Seattle, but it would do.

"I don't think we've ever had this many people here for a single event," Eric said.

"Yeah, I'm surprised too," Jess said.

"Well, I need to make sure the mic setup is working. I'll leave you to collect your thoughts before we start. Come grab me if you need anything." Eric walked away once again, and Jess was left alone.

Jess wondered around the bookstore, looking casually through the books. He thought about her. Why was it that after all these years, she still popped into his mind fairly often? He had no idea if it was normal. All he knew was, he had to let go. He suddenly thought of Quinn. She was attractive, and certainly seemed intelligent. Instinctively, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper and unfolded it. It read: _Quinn_ _-_ _202-555-0195_. Jess folded it back up and stuck it in his pocket.

After about 20 minutes had gone by, Eric came over to get him. It was time to start. Jess walked over to the main table in front of the crowd and sat down.

Eric grabbed the microphone. "Hi folks, thanks everyone for coming. We're so honored to have Jess Mariano here today from Seattle. Jess is the author of three bestselling books, including 'Time's Legacy,' 'Bridge to Nowhere,' and now his newest book 'Man on the Edge.' Jess is a self-made writer, with no formal education or background in English or writing... making him far more impressive. Jess is going to read a passage from 'Man on the Edge' and then you'll have an opportunity to ask questions. He will also have a signing after the reading if you'd like to purchase his book. So with that, I'll turn it over to Jess." Eric finished and set the microphone back in front of Jess.

"Thanks Eric, and thanks everyone for coming. I'm going to read one of my favorite passages from the book, Chapter 12 if you'd like to read along," Jess said. With that he turned to the chapter and began reading.

It always felt a bit odd to read his own work. As a writer, he re-read his writing so much in his head but rarely out loud. After about 15 minutes, he finished and set down the book. Applause erupted from the audience. "Thanks," he said modestly. "Are there any questions? About the book, or anything else?"

A woman in the front of the audience raised her hand.

"Yes," he said, pointing to her.

"How did you get your inspiration for this book and your others?" the woman asked.

Jess leaned into the microphone. "Well, I try to get inspiration from everything around me everyday. I use real life experiences and also think about what it's like to be in other people's shoes. I try to let life guide my stories I guess, if that makes sense. Life can be painful but also really beautiful. You can find beauty in ordinary things if you want to see it." he said.

Another man raised his hand to her right. "Yes," Jess said.

"What's your writing routine?" the man asked. "Do you write everyday, or do you have certain increments you write in? Also, what advice would you give to people wanting to start writing?"

"Well, I don't have a set routine, but I try to make the most out of all the time I have. I write something everyday, but sometimes I don't use it. I guess my advice to new writers would be that writing is like any sport or anything you do, you have to practice. Some people think they should be able to start writing and be good at it right away, but it doesn't work that way."

He saw a hand in the very back. "Yes, in the back," he said pointing. A woman in a green dress with bright blue eyes and long brown shiny hair stood up. All of a sudden, he recognized the woman. _Oh my God._

* * *

 **A/N: This was a shorter chapter, so I'll post again no later than Friday :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Here's Chapter 3, I hope you enjoy. Chapter 3 finally starts getting into more action (the first 2 chapters were setting things up).**

 **Also, thanks to everyone who has left a review, I do read all the reviews and take them into consideration when writing. Thanks**

 **Chapter 3**

"In the past you've referred to the town Stars Hollow where you spent a few years as shaping you as a writer. What about the town was so influential?" Rory said.

Jess couldn't help but smile, and tried not to laugh. He turned his expression back to serious. "Well, words can't really describe it. You'd have to see it to understand." He paused. "But I can say that part of the reason it was influential was because I made some mistakes there and learned a lot of lessons as a result."

"Sounds like an interesting place," Rory said, smiling.

"It is," Jess said.

Jess answered about 10 more questions and then started the book signing. All he could think about was her. Here. In New York. Did she live in New York? He had no idea what she did or why she was there. His thoughts were racing a million miles a minute.

He was signing books but half checked out from reality at the moment. "What's your name?" Jess asked robotically.

"James," the man replied.

As Jess began to sign, he continued to think about Rory. Had she come to see him? He would find out very soon. But if she did what did it mean? He remembered when she came to visit him in Philadelphia, only to tell him she was in love with another man. Logan. He hated Logan. What an asshole. Jess handed he book back to the man.

"Thanks," James said. "Wait, you wrote Rory," he said showing Jess the inscription on the front cover. "Who's Rory?"

"Uh… nevermind," Jess said snatching the book from him. "Here I'll write you another one." Jess grabbed a new book from beside him and scribbled in it.

"Thanks," James said as he walked off.

Jess looked around. The crowd had died down. All of a sudden he locked eyes with her. Rory was waiting for him in the back of the room, her arms wrapped around his book. She started to make her way over to him. "Jess," she said. She instinctively walked around the table to give him a hug. He embraced her tightly. _God, he smelled good._ "How are you?"

"I'm great. It's such a surprise to see you here," Jess said. "A good surprise," he added.

Rory laughed. "Yeah, I wanted to get you good with the Stars Hallow bit."

"Oh trust me, you did," Jess said grinning. "So, are you here just for me, or…?"

"Well, not exactly. I'm a reporter for the New York Times and my boss assigned me to cover this." She didn't want to seem like she was following him around town. She had to come across cool, calm, in control, and professional.

"Oh, right of course" Jess said. His voice had a hint of disappointment that only Rory could detect.

"I'm glad to see you though," Rory said. They stared at each other for a minute and didn't say anything.

"Hey, do you wanna get outta here?" Jess asked suddenly. Rory had flashbacks to being 16, in her bedroom when Jess asked her if she wanted to bail on dinner with their families.

"Yes," she said without hesitation.

"Let's go," he said leading their way out of the bookstore.

* * *

"This is a really good place," Rory said gesturing to a small bar they were passing.

"Look at you. 8 years ago you were visiting me in New York and I was telling you all the good spots. Now the tables have turned," Jess said.

Rory smiled. "What can I say? Things change here pretty quickly."

They walked into a quaint little bar and sat in a booth near the bar. "Hey Rory, food menu today?" the bartender asked from behind the bar.

"Yes, thanks Nicholas," she replied.

He came over with 2 menus. "Who's your friend?" Nicholas asked.

"Nicholas, this is Jess. He's an old friend from high school. He's just visiting New York."

"Nice to meet you, Jess," Nicholas said. "What can I get you two to drink? Rory, I made a killer batch of Gimlets if you're in the mood."

"Oh, yes!" Rory said excited. "Jess, this is the best Gimlet in the city. Nicholas makes a special homemade cordial for it. What do you think?"

"Hey, you're running the show today," Jess said, grinning.

"Two gimlets please," Rory said to Nicholas.

"You got it." Nicholas walked behind the bar and began to make their drinks.

"Well, you certainly seem to have been here before," Jess said.

"I must confess… this place is one of my go to spots to meet friends. It's also open until 4am, so I may have had some late writing nights here from time to time," Rory said.

"Rory Gilmore, you never fail to surprise me," Jess said. "Do you remember the last time we were in New York together?"

"How could I forget? Has it really been 8 years?" Rory said.

"8 years. Time flies, doesn't it?" Jess was looking deeply into her eyes. "I shouldn't talk in clichés," he said, breaking eye contact.

"What's wrong with clichés?" Rory asked. Of course as a writer herself, she knew, but was curious of Jess's response.

"They lack originality. I should have said- it's been 8 years but I feel like it wasn't that long ago that you surprised me in New York. I'll never forget that day."

"Me either," Rory said.

Jess leaned over the table like he was going to say something important. "And… it's been 8 years and I never did get to see your withering stare."

"I'll have to have another drink before that happens!" she said.

"Oh yeah?" Jess said grinning.

"Two gimlets," Nicholas said setting the drinks down on the table. "Let me know if you need anything else."

"Thanks Nicholas, we're good for right now," Rory said.

Rory looked up at Jess and really took him in for the first time since she'd seen him today. His hair was a little longer than when they were dating, but it looked professional and sexy. He looked better than ever before. But it wasn't really his looks that got her. There was something about the way he made her feel that she loved. When she was around him, she felt like a different person. She could feel his energy and loved how easy their connection was. They certainly never had to work at that.

"Rory, can I ask you something?" Jess said.

"Of course."

"How can you write about my book signing today? I mean, we've dated. Isn't there some rule against that?" Jess asked.

"Yeah, normally in journalism they don't like you to write about your family or friends because of personal bias. I told my boss about our relationship when he assigned me to the piece. I think it actually made him more interested. He wants me to put a personal spin on it. I just have to be transparent and objective."

Jess stared at her. "You're kidding?"

"Not at all, but don't worry I'll make you look good," Rory said.

"I can see the headline now- _Hoodlum teen from Stars Hallow turned successful writer. Who would've known_?"

Rory laughed. "No, I wouldn't do that. I promise it'll be good. You just have to trust me."

Jess smiled. "I trust you completely. So, are we off the records now?"

"Records are completely turned off," Rory reassured him. "So that's all you wanted to ask me?"

"Well not exactly… Whatever happened to that guy you were dating when you lived with your grandparents? Are you two still together?"

"No, we broke up," Rory said. She looked down, seeming embarrassed.

"I can't say I'm surprised," Jess said. "I didn't see you with him. Mind if I ask what happened?"

"No, it's all right. We dated until my college graduation. He proposed and wanted me to move with him to San Francisco. To be honest, I liked the idea but I couldn't do it. I had to figure out my own way. In retrospect, I don't think we were right for each other at all. Nothing was wrong, but not enough was right. If that makes sense." Rory said.

"It does."

"Okay, your turn!" Rory said.

"Hey, I'm an open book," Jess said smiling. "You can ask me whatever you want. And I guarantee I'll be at least 85% honest."

"Do you have a girlfriend?" Rory asked.

"Nope."

"How is that possible?" Rory said.

"I could ask you the same question," Jess said.

"Don't flatter me," Rory said smiling. "Or, you can, just know if you do you're setting a high bar."

Jess smiled. She always made me smile. He couldn't believe how easy it was to talk to her after all these years. "Hey, do you have any plans tonight?"

"No plans, I'm wide open," Rory said.

"Okay, I'll be right back." He got up and walked toward the restrooms. He grabbed his cell phone from his pocket and pressed speed dial 2. "Hey mom, it's Jess. I'm sorry but I'm not going to be able to make it tonight… Yeah, boring dinner with some potential publishers I met here… Yeah, I'm really sorry, I was looking forward to seeing you too…. All right, love you, bye." Jess hung up the phone.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thank you for your comments. I enjoy reading them!**

 **Chapter 4**

Jess and Rory sat in the bar, laughing.

"This is what, drink number 3? Rory, I think I'm gonna to have to carry you home," Jess said.

"Hey, I'm a seasoned drinker here. I think you should worry more about yourself," Rory said.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yes, if you've never had these gimlets before, they can sneak up on you. I didn't tell you about the time Paris's boyfriend, Doyle, had one for the first time."

"What happened to Doyle?"

"Doyle had 4 gimlets, and then proceeded to buy a $100 hat, stole a stack of newspapers, and roamed around New York pretending to be a newsie. He did this for over an hour, and I have pictures to prove it," Rory said laughing.

"Wow, sounds like Doyle can't handle his liquor," Jess said.

"Yeah, not really at all. The upside to the story was he did sell some papers, and got offered to be an extra in a documentary on William Randolph Hearst."

Jess laughed. The conversation had changed since they first sat down. Jess could tell any nervousness or tension that was there was completely gone, and Rory was relaxed. If he wanted to ask her anything serious, now was the time.

"Rory, whatever happened between us?" Jess asked. He noticed her tense up ever so slightly.

"What do you mean?" Rory said.

"You and I. What happened? When I came to Yale, when I came to your grandparents house, and even when you came to visit me in Philadelphia, things were different between us."

Rory knew he was right. She had thought so many times about them, how perfect they were in so many ways, but why it had not worked out. She didn't want to admit how much she had thought about it.

"Things changed. When you left Stars Hollow, I didn't know what to think. When you came back to Yale, I had forced myself to move on." Rory paused. "I know how that sounds."

Jess noticed she was looking down. He understood that he'd hurt her. He'd thought about the day he left so many times, and replayed it over and over in my head. He was immature and running away from his problems. But if anything, it left something unfinished between them. Jess wanted to tell her that.

"Rory, I-" Jess hesitated. There was silence for a moment.

"It's okay, you don't have to say anything," Rory said.

"Okay," Jess said with a hint of disappointment. "So where do you live now?"

"Oh, I live a few blocks down the street," Rory said.

"Do you wanna show me?"

"Show you? Where I live?" Rory repeated.

"Yes, you know, give me the grand tour."

"Sure."

* * *

The only problem was Paris was home. Rory had to figure something out. She had told Jess to hang out next door at the bookstore for 10 minutes so she could clean up a few things in the apartment.

Rory entered the apartment frantically. "Paris!" she yelled.

Paris appeared from her room. "Rory, do I look to you like I'm wearing any sort of hearing aid?"

"No, but-"

"What about a cochlear implant? Do I have one of those? No, I don't. So can you please tell me why you're yelling as if I'm hearing impaired?" Paris said.

"Look, Jess is next door at Greenwood Books!" Rory said.

"Jess is next door?" Paris said.

"Yes, he's next door, and he's going to be here in 10 minutes, I told him I needed time to clean up."

"Why? The place is immaculate. Have him come over now, we can all open a bottle a wine," Paris said.

"No, we cannot all open a bottle of wine. I need to be alone with him. That's why I came home first to talk to you. Can you stay in your room? I'll tell him you're asleep."

"Stay in my room? Great! I'll stay in my room and keep quiet and listen to the two of you have sex. Sounds like a really fun night!" Paris said sarcastically.

"Paris, please! I just want alone time with him," Rory begged.

Rory had helped Paris so many times in the past, so Paris knew she couldn't said no. "Fine, give me your noise cancelling headphones."

"Oh, thank you!" Rory said hugging Paris. "They're in my desk drawer. The top one on the left."

"You owe me!" Paris said.

Rory ran into her bedroom and looked around to make sure everything was in its place. She then went into the connecting bathroom and opened the drawer under the sink. Rory pulled out a box of condoms and looked at them for a minute, debating what to do. Although she didn't have a steady boyfriend or much of a sex life lately, she always kept some around to be on the safe side. She wasn't planning on having sex with Jess, but it was always better to be prepared. She hesitated. Then Rory opened the box and grabbed one condom, and then proceeded to run back into her room and put it in the drawer of her nightstand. "Okay," Rory said to herself.

The apartment buzzer rang. Rory walked over to answer it. "Hi Jess."

"Hey," he said.

"Please come on up, I'm in 308." She buzzed him in. It wasn't long before Rory heard a knock at the door.

Rory opened the door. "Hey."

"Got you something," Jess said holding up a brown bag.

"You bought me a book?" Rory asked.

"Well, I had time to kill."

Rory pulled out the book. " _The Communist Manifesto_ by Karl Marx."

Jess laughed. "I felt like you needed that to put Ayn Rand in perspective. I still don't forgive you for making me read _The Fountainhead_."

"I still stand by what I said. No one can write a 40 page monologue like Ayn Rand."

"Please, her views of individualism and ethical egoism are absurd."

"Agree to disagree?" Rory said.

"Fine. But you never made it up to me," Jess said.

"Made what up to you?" Rory asked.

"I gave the book one more chance against my better judgment. You said if I didn't like it you'd make it up to me."

"Oh! Yes, it's all coming back. So, what would you like me to do?"

"Read _The Communist Manifesto_ ," Jess said pointing to the book in her hand.

"Done. I don't mind some Marx every now and then," Rory said setting the book on the coffee table. "Hey, do you want some wine? I was just about to open a bottle."

"Sure, thanks," Jess said. Rory went into to the kitchen and poured the wine.

"Here you go," Rory appeared handing him a glass. "So, there isn't much to give a tour of. This is the living room and the kitchen. My room is right there and Paris's room is over there. You remember Paris, right?"

"Oh, yeah I think so. Chilton?"

"Yeah that's right, she's my roommate."

"You've stayed friends for a while," Jess said.

"Yeah, well, we both went to Yale, and now we work together."

"Is she… home?" Jess asked.

"Oh yeah, but she's really tired, I think she's already asleep in her room." Rory said.

"Can I see your room?" Jess asked.

Rory smiled. After all, Jess had never been one to beat around the bush when it came to things like this. "Sure."

Rory led him into a small, charming room that reminded him of her room in Stars Hollow. Jess immediately walked over to the bookshelf. Most of the books he had seen before, or he wasn't surprised to see her reading. All of a sudden he saw his novels. All of them.

"You have my books," Jess said.

"Oh, yeah," Rory looked slightly embarrassed. "Well, I've kind of been following you career. Not in a weird stalker way. I just… I thought it was so cool how you made this life for yourself. You're a real writer."

"You're a real writer," Jess said.

"I know, I know. But I never write more than a few pages. You've written novels. It's pretty incredible," Rory said.

"Have you read them?" Jess asked.

"Of course," Rory said without hesitation. " _The Man from No Where_ is my favorite."

Jess couldn't help but smile. Rory sat down on the bed and he followed her lead.

"So I must say, I'm very impressed with how you've held your liquor so far tonight," Jess said.

"I told you, you had no faith in me," Rory said.

"You're right, I didn't." They both laughed.

There was a second of silence Jess reached over and touched her cheek. Rory forgot how much she missed his touch. She shut her eyes and embraced the moment.

"I missed you," he said quietly. "I missed just talking to you."

Rory opened her eyes. "I missed you too."

Jess leaned over, and kissed her softly on the lips. Rory did not protest, and began to kiss him harder.


End file.
